Middle States Reaccreditation Process on Track, Entering Next Phase
More than 140 members of the campus community have spent this academic year engaged in the rigorous process of seeking reaccreditation by the (MSCHE). Guided by a steering committee co-chaired by , associate provost for academic programs, and , associate vice president for research, the vital undertaking ensures Syracuse University meets and exceeds high standards of educational excellence.
Working Groups Produce Reports
The process began a year ago with the completion of a self-study design and a campus visit from an MSCHE representative. Starting last fall, members of seven working groups evaluated large amounts of evidence compiled by the and other units. From that data, they developed reports that demonstrate the University’s adherence to MSCHE’s .
“The working group members have been the cornerstone of this process, spending an entire semester immersed in data, evidence and analysis,” Hasenwinkel says. “The draft reports they’ve produced reflect not just rigor, but also a genuine investment in understanding who we are as an institution and where we are headed. This self-study is only possible because of their dedication.”
The seven reports were completed in December and submitted to a writing team that includes Hasenwinkel and McDonald as well as Gabe Coleman, director of project management and operations in the Office of the Chancellor; Jerry Edmonds, chief of staff for academic affairs; Laura Harrington, director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness; and Wendy Loughlin, executive director of academic communications in the Division of Communications. That team is now working to review and compile the reports into a single self-study document.
Input on Draft Self-Study
A draft self-study report will be made available to the University community for review beginning Monday, Aug. 3, with the public comment period running through Monday, Sept. 14. Feedback from faculty, staff and students is crucial, McDonald says. “A self-study is only as strong as the perspectives that shape it,” she says. “The insights that come from across our University will strengthen the work of our self-study and ensure it reflects the full breadth of the Syracuse experience and key opportunities to further deliver on our mission.”
Input gathered during the open comment period will be taken into consideration as the self-study is finalized. The report will be submitted to MSCHE in December. In March 2027, a group of peer evaluators from other MSCHE-accredited institutions will visit campus, review evidence and meet with key campus leaders and constituencies. A final determination will be made by MSCHE in June 2027.
For more information about MSCHE reaccreditation, visit .
